The Met puts 375,000 in the public domain for unrestricted use

"Increasing access to the Museum’s collection and scholarship serves the interests and needs of our 21st-century audiences by offering new resources for creativity, knowledge, and ideas." -Thomas P. Campbell

On February 7, 2017 The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced a new policy: all images of public-domain artworks in the Museum's collection would now be available for free and unrestricted use.

In making the announcement, Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of The Met, said: "We have been working toward the goal of sharing our images with the public for a number of years. Our comprehensive and diverse museum collection spans 5,000 years of world culture and our core mission is to be open and accessible for all who wish to study and enjoy the works of art in our care. Increasing access to the Museum’s collection and scholarship serves the interests and needs of our 21st-century audiences by offering new resources for creativity, knowledge, and ideas.”